Understanding American Politics and Government, California Edition

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This version of Understanding American Politics and Government, 2012 Election Edition includes all fifteen chapters from Field’s California Government and Politics Today, 14/e at a lower price than the two books packaged together. It is available only through the Pearson Custom Library (PCL). To order, click here http://www.pearsoncustomlibrary.com/?lib=40&act=listbooks#book:345.

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John J. Coleman is Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Wisconsin, Madison; he is the Lyons Family Faculty Fellow and has received a Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. John’s current research examines the effect of various campaign finance rules and regulations on electoral and policy outcomes in the states.

Kenneth M. Goldstein is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he won the Kellet Award for his career research accomplishments and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. He is also president of Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group as well as a consultant for the ABC News elections unit and a member of their election night decision team.

William G. Howell is the Sydney Stein Professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago. He has written widely on separation of powers issues and American political institutions, especially the presidency. Will’s recent research examines the relationships between war and presidential power.

1. Brief Table of Contents

2. Full Table of Contents

1. Brief Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Thinking About American Politics

Chapter 2: Political Culture

Chapter 3: The Constitution

Chapter 4: Federalism

Chapter 5: Civil Liberties

Chapter 6: Civil Rights

Chapter 7: Public Opinion

Chapter 8: Political Participation and Voting

Chapter 9: Elections and Campaigns

Chapter 10: Media and Politics

Chapter 11: Political Parties

Chapter 12: Interest Groups

Chapter 13: Congress

Chapter 14: The Presidency

Chapter 15: The Federal Court System

Chapter 16: The Bureaucracy

Chapter 17: Economic and Social Policy

Chapter 18: Foreign Policy

2. Full Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Thinking About American Politics

The Purpose of Government

Contexts for Studying American Government and Politics

Thinking about Politics

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Candidate for Congress

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: How Do You Measure Freedom?

Chapter 2: Political Culture

What Does It Mean to Be an American?

Unresolved Debate: Does Belief in the American Dream Lead Americans to Oppose Government Programs?

The Beliefs of the American Creed

Consequences and Implications of the American Creed

Challenges to the American Creed

How Do We Know? Why Was the Path to Universal Health Insurance So Difficult?

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a City Council Member

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Can You Get Ahead in America?

Chapter 3: The Constitution

From Revolution to Constitution

Crafting the Constitution

Unresolved Debate: Does the Constitution Limit the Authority of the President in His Role as Commander in Chief?

The Battle for Ratification

How Do We Know? What Motivated the Framers of the Constitution?

Amending the Constitution

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Founder

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: How Long Did It Take to Ratify the Constitution?

Chapter 4: Federalism

The Nature of the Union

State and Local Governments

Dual Federalism

Cooperative Federalism

Unresolved Debate: Should Federal Grants be Allocated Based on Competitions Instead of Formulas?

How Do We Know? Are States Engaged In A Race To The Bottom?

Federalism in Flux

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Federal Judge

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Which States Win or Lose the Federal Aid Game?

Chapter 5: Civil Liberties

Civil Liberties in American Politics and the Constitution

Freedom of Speech

How Do We Know? Does War or Fear of War Lead to Public Support for Civil Liberties Restrictions?

Freedom of Religion

Rights of the Accused

Discovering New Rights That Are Protected by the Constitution

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Police Officer

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Should the Government Apply the Death Penalty?

Chapter 6: Civil Rights

Equality and Civil Rights

Equal Protection of the Laws Gains Meaning

How Do We Know? Is White Opposition to Affirmative Action Racist?

The Politics of Civil Rights

Extension of Equal Protection to Other Groups

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Mayor

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Are All Forms of Discrimination the Same?

Chapter 7: Public Opinion

The Nature of Public Opinion

How Do We Know? Can Surveys Accurately Gauge the Opinions of More Than 300 Million Americans?

Political Socialization

Public Opinion Formation

Unresolved Debate: Do American Citizens Have the Stable, Informed Opinions Necessary to Make Good Decisions about Politics?

Making Public Opinion Work in a Democracy

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Polling Consultant

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: What Do Young People Think about Politics Today?

Chapter 8: Political Participation and Voting

The Costs and Benefits of Political Participation

The Paradox of Political Participation

How Do We Know? Why Is It So Difficult to Determine How Many People Vote on Election Day?

Factors That Influence Participation

Comparative and Historical Puzzles of Voter Turnout

Unresolved Debate: Can Any One Factor Explain the Decline in Voter Participation in the United States?

Understanding Individual Vote Choice

Who Gets Heard? Does It Matter?

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Voting Registration Volunteer

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: How Are People Involved in Politics?

Chapter 9: Elections and Campaigns

The Basic Rules Governing American Elections

How Do We Know? How Much Does Congressional Candidate Spending Affect Election Outcomes?

Understanding Presidential Election Outcomes

Conducting Campaigns

Unresolved Debate: Do Presidential Campaigns Matter?

Paying for Campaigns

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Campaign Strategist

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Is the Electoral College Democratic?

Chapter 10: Media and Politics

The Unique Role of the American Media

Constraints on American Media Freedom

Patterns of Media Use

Are the Media Biased?

Media Effects on Public Opinion

How Do We Know? Do people react to coverage of events or to the events themselves?

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Newspaper Editor

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Where Do You Get Your Political News?

Chapter 11: Political Parties

What Political Parties Do

Unresolved Debate: Is Divided Government an Accident?

The Two-Party System

Party Organization

The Evolution of Party Competition and Party Coalitions

How Do We Know? Is America Polarized?

> MyPoliSciLab Video Series

> MyPoliSciLab Simulation: You Are a Voter

> MyPoliSciLab Explorer: Which Party Governs Better?

Chapter 12: Interest Groups

The Problem of Factions and the Pluralist Answer

Critics of Pluralism

How Do We Know? Is It Possible to Measure the Impact of an Issue’s Absence From the Policy Agenda?

Solving the Collective Action Problem: Group Formation and Maintenance What Groups Do, and Why They Do It